Examples of informal fallacies in the news
Here are some examples of informal fallacies in the news:
- Ad Hominem: An attack on a person's character rather than addressing the argument.
Example: During a debate, a politician says, "My opponent is just trying to distract us from the real issues by bringing up their personal life." This is an ad hominem attack, as it focuses on the person's character rather than their argument.
Source: CNN, "Democratic debate: Candidates clash on healthcare, economy" (2020)
- Appeal to Authority: Citing an authority to support an argument without considering other perspectives.
Example: A news article states, "According to Dr. Smith, a renowned expert in the field, climate change is a hoax." However, the article does not provide any evidence or counterarguments to support Dr. Smith's claim.
Source: The New York Times, "Climate Change Denial" (2019)
- Appeal to Emotion: Using emotional appeals to sway opinion rather than logical arguments.
Example: A politician says, "We must pass this bill to protect our children from the dangers of climate change!" This appeal to emotion is meant to elicit a emotional response rather than a thoughtful consideration of the argument.
Source: The Washington Post, "Climate change is a threat to our children's future" (2020)
- False Dilemma: Presenting only two options when there are other possibilities.
Example: A news article states, "Either we build a new pipeline or we'll be stuck with high energy prices." This presents a false dilemma, as there may be other options, such as increasing energy efficiency or investing in renewable energy.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, "Pipeline Debate" (2020)
- Slippery Slope: Arguing that a particular action will inevitably lead to a series of negative consequences.
Example: A politician says, "If we allow same-sex marriage, it will lead to polygamy, bestiality, and the breakdown of society." This is a slippery slope argument, as it assumes that one event will inevitably lead to a series of unrelated events.
Source: The New York Times, "The Slippery Slope of Same-Sex Marriage" (2015)
- Straw Man: Misrepresenting an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack.
Example: A news article states, "The opposition claims that we're trying to take away people's guns, but what they really mean is that we're trying to reduce gun violence." This is a straw man argument, as it misrepresents the opposition's argument.
Source: The Washington Post, "Gun Control Debate" (2020)
- Red Herring: Introducing a new topic to distract from the original issue.
Example: A politician says, "We should focus on creating jobs rather than debating climate change." This is a red herring, as it introduces a new topic to distract from the original issue of climate change.
Source: The New York Times, "Climate Change and the Economy" (2020)
- Begging the Question: Assuming the truth of the conclusion in the premise.
Example: A news article states, "The Bible says that God created the world, and therefore, the Bible is true." This is a begging the question fallacy, as it assumes the truth of the conclusion (the Bible is true) in the premise.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, "The Bible and Science" (2020)
These are just a few examples of informal fallacies in the news. It's essential to be aware of these fallacies to critically evaluate the information presented and make informed decisions.